The Return Journey

A secretary's silent passion for her boss meets the acid test on a business trip; a man and a woman's mutual disdain at first sight shows how deceptive appearances can be; an insecure wife clings to the illusion of order, only to discover chaos at the hands of a house-sitter who opens the wrong doors; a pair of star-crossed travellers pick up each other's bags, and then learn that when you unlock a stranger's suitcase, you enter a stranger's life.

These and many more poignant, ironic, often humorous stories - unforgettable slices of life - show why Maeve Binchy is one of the world's favourite storytellers.